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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/09/bitcoin-creator-satoshi-nakamoto-alleged-to-be-australian-academic
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| Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto probably Australian academic, report claims | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The creator of the digital currency bitcoin, known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, has been alleged to be an Australian academic and entrepreneur. | The creator of the digital currency bitcoin, known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, has been alleged to be an Australian academic and entrepreneur. |
| Wired has alleged that Nakamoto’s real identity is Craig Steven Wright, a 44-year-old Australian it describes as a “climate-change denier, a serial entrepreneur ... and an eccentric.” Various attempts to prove Nakamoto’s identity in the past have proved unsuccessful. | Wired has alleged that Nakamoto’s real identity is Craig Steven Wright, a 44-year-old Australian it describes as a “climate-change denier, a serial entrepreneur ... and an eccentric.” Various attempts to prove Nakamoto’s identity in the past have proved unsuccessful. |
| Related: Bitcoin: what you need to know | |
| Wired has linked Wright to bitcoin by several posts on his blog, starting with one published in August 2008 that mentioned his intention to release a “cryptocurrency paper”. | Wired has linked Wright to bitcoin by several posts on his blog, starting with one published in August 2008 that mentioned his intention to release a “cryptocurrency paper”. |
| Another, published three months later, asked that readers used a PGP public key that has reportedly been linked to Nakamoto. A PGP public key is a unique string of characters that allows a user of that encyrption software to receive encrypted messages. | Another, published three months later, asked that readers used a PGP public key that has reportedly been linked to Nakamoto. A PGP public key is a unique string of characters that allows a user of that encyrption software to receive encrypted messages. |
| In a now-deleted post dated 10 January 2009, Wright reportedly announced the launch of the beta of bitcoin “tomorrow”; Wired points out that Wright, living on Australia’s east coast, could have published the post before midnight on 9 January, the day of the currency’s official launch. However, the article notes that three of the “smoking gun” posts on Wright’s blog had been edited since publication “to insert details of his bitcoin history”. | |
| The Wired investigation is also based on a cache of leaked emails and accounting forms. The article claims that Wright mortgaged three properties and invested more than $US1m in computers, power and connectivity to launch the cryptocurrency. | |
| After Wired contacted Wright, they received a response from a previously unknown email account – sent from an IP address previously associated with emails sent by Nakamoto – but were not granted an interview. | After Wired contacted Wright, they received a response from a previously unknown email account – sent from an IP address previously associated with emails sent by Nakamoto – but were not granted an interview. |
| Documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) confirm several details of the Wired story, including Wright’s role with a company called Hotwire Preemptive Intelligence. | Documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) confirm several details of the Wired story, including Wright’s role with a company called Hotwire Preemptive Intelligence. |
| “Despite a massive trove of evidence, we still can’t say with absolute certainty that the mystery is solved,” Wired’s Andy Greenberg and Gwern Branwen wrote. | “Despite a massive trove of evidence, we still can’t say with absolute certainty that the mystery is solved,” Wired’s Andy Greenberg and Gwern Branwen wrote. |
| “But two possibilities outweigh all others: Either Wright invented bitcoin, or he’s a brilliant hoaxer who very badly wants us to believe he did.” | “But two possibilities outweigh all others: Either Wright invented bitcoin, or he’s a brilliant hoaxer who very badly wants us to believe he did.” |
| Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin serve as a means to conduct electronic transactions without commercial banks as intermediaries. | Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin serve as a means to conduct electronic transactions without commercial banks as intermediaries. |
| Bhagwan Chowdhry, a professor of finance at UCLA, last month suggested nominating Nakamoto for the 2016 Nobel prize in economics in recognition of his innovation, but Nakamoto’s pseudonymous identity meant he was ineligible. | |
| Since its code was released in January 2009, the total value of all bitcoins has grown to nearly $US5bn. | |
| In March 2014, Newsweek published a cover story claiming to have unmasked bitcoin’s creator as the American Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto, which was subsequently largely discredited. | In March 2014, Newsweek published a cover story claiming to have unmasked bitcoin’s creator as the American Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto, which was subsequently largely discredited. |